Mother's love
by cifer66
Summary: "Where is Binge Eater?" "Go to hell bastard!" AU where Kaneki is a born hybrid and Rize is his mother. Manga spoilers
1. Love story

Disclaimer: Don't own nothing

Chapter 1 – Love story

"Mama! Mama! Look! There are ducks in the pond!" Rize didn't have time to think as the small hand clutched between her fingers started pulling her towards a small pond.

She chuckled at her son's antics, "Just don't fall in Ken-kun!"

"Uh!" He replied enthusiastically as he ran to the edge of the pond. The yellow hood of his raincoat breezed back from his head to land on his back, revealing a cheerful young face with a white medical eye patch slashed over one eye.

Rize sighed at her son's enthusiasm. She never could have imagined that having a child would be so much fun. She always thought of herself as a type of wanderer, travelling around in search of her next meal. The idea of a family had never even crossed her mind. It would have been too much trouble as the CCG were not above killing child ghouls in order to get to their target. Her movements weren't going unnoticed either, with the CCG already issuing out warning flyers about the rising star 'Binge Eater'.

It was on one of her little ventures where she met the love of her life. Of course at the time she merely thought of him as her next meal. It was in ward 20 where she saw him, or rather smelt him. It was his scent that first lured her. A faint passing scent, almost smothered by the overwhelming smells of everything around it, but she caught it. Crisp and refreshing, like the dew you would find on grass after a cold winter's night.

**-Flashback-**

At first she only watched from afar, mildly intrigued by the human.

His name was Hiroki, a lean dark haired librarian with a preference of wearing those brown plaid vests that men decades older him wore. He lived a fairly ordinary life. Wake up. Work. Read. Sleep. Repeat. Wake up. Work. Read. Sleep. Repeat. It was after following the man for a week that finally something different happened in the cycle.

It was a Sunday night when it happened. Just after his dinner, instead of showering and reading in bed like he always did the days before, he changed into a large overcoat and left his shoebox of an apartment.

Rize was curious. What could have occurred that would have disrupted his schedule? She followed him as he walked through the park, easily concealing herself in the trees. It must have been 40 minutes before he stopped at the top of a small hill. Still hidden in the trees Rize watched as the human simply lay down on the grass, gazing at the stars for hours. _How_ _strange_ she thought to herself as she saw him leave.

She approached him the next day. Having already memorised his routine, she entered a small café 20 minutes into his lunch break. After politely asking if she could talk and receiving an affirmative, she easily slid in the vacant seat opposite him.

"So, uh how can I help you Miss?" He asked nervously, clearly not having much contact with girls.

She proceeded to tell him the same story she told all her victims. It was some cheesy tale about him being her childhood crush and with some encouragement from a friend she finally gathered up the courage to talk to her one true love. Of course it was immediately after her 'confession' that Rize realised that this human was different. Instead of eating up her story like others before him, he questioned her. Ordering her to explain exactly how she felt, what appealed to her about him and so on.

You see, she quickly learnt that he was interested in stories. Love stories to be precise. He described them to be inspiring, brilliant, stories where anything can be resolved because of the invisible and indestructible force of love. It was because of his declaration that he told Rize his dream. To be an author: the ultimate master of emotions, to have the ability to paint love onto paper with words.

She smiled and encouraged him to continue, her façade never failing. Inwardly she scoffed at the human sitting opposite her.

He was a fool.

No more and no less.

Love stories didn't help anyone in this cruel world of ghouls.

**-Timeskip-**

She never knew when it happened, but when she realised it all came down on her like a bucket of water.

Perhaps it was when he 'protected' her on that spring day from a bee. It must had been attracted to her sweet perfume. Hiroki, her self-proclaimed knight immediately tried to swat the bee away from her – with his hands – and ended up getting stung himself. She of course told him he was an idiot in which he only replied that it was worth taking the pain for her. Even she had to admit that it was somewhat sweet, a human trying to protect her against something so trivial was a first for her.

It didn't happen overnight, but somehow in the two weeks she spent with him, she gained just an inkling of feeling for him.

The notorious 'Binge Eater', feared for her mercilessness and brutality in slaughtering her food, was falling for a human? It was preposterous! Unprecedented! How could she ever show her face to the ghoul community again?

But even the mere thought of eating her Hiroki sent utter waves of revulsion and despair within her. It was just impossible, how could a man ever make her feel this way? She no longer saw his brown locks as a crunchy snack, but rather as soft silk or his eyes as chewy treats but as brown organs that he saw her with.

Her mother always warned her against playing with her food, but Rize never took any notice of the advice. Perhaps this was the price she had to pay.

Hiroki was just simply unlike anyone she had ever met before. He was nothing like the other ghouls: her brute of a brother Shachi for example or that idiotic ghoul from ward 11, Banjou.

To be frank, at times he was a moron. Yet at other times, he was an idealist who believed that the power of love could triumph over all the evil within the world.

**-Timeskip-**

Soon two weeks turned into two months. And two months turned into two years.

Rize had to admit, for the first time in her cursed existence, she was happy. Hiroki offered to share his apartment with her shortly after they announced their status as girlfriend and boyfriend and she gladly accepted.

Of course even though Hiroki was a scatterbrain, it was only a matter of time when he pieced the lack of food she ate and her immediate departure to the bathroom whenever she ate a tiny morsel of food together and asked her the big question…

…

…

…

…Did she have an eating disorder?…

…

…

…

Rize had sighed and wondered how she could had ever fallen in love with such an idiot.

Even though he hadn't figured her secret out yet, she decided to just come clean anyway and tell her boyfriend of her status of a ghoul, it would have done no good if he blatantly told anyone of his girlfriend's eating habits. It was as obvious as night and day to anyone who wasn't Hiroki.

As she had predicted, Hiroki wasn't bothered too much by dating a ghoul. In fact, he started yelling out that it would be a good concept for his new romance novel.

Rize only shook her head at her boyfriend's antics.

**-Timeskip-**

The couple married in the spring. Her favourite season.

When Hiroki asked her why, she stated that it was when the humans began to exercise and lose their winter fat, therefore giving humans the perfect muscle to fat ratio.

Her boyfriend turned husband started sweating profusely and vowed to never question his wife again.

It was almost a year later when the couple discovered that they were having a baby. The couple couldn't believe it. Babies were rarely even conceived between ghouls and humans. There were tales of a hybrid one-eyed ghoul but these were only considered to be rumours.

Well whether their son or daughter was the first of their kind or not, Rize and Hiroki assured themselves that their child would be loved and cared.

**-Timeskip-**

After numerous debates and arguments, the pair eventually decided on Ken for the name. For Hiroki it was because he wanted his son to dream big and by having an English name he would aspire do anything. Rize agreed with her husband, never divulging to him her real reason for approving.

_Ken_ – _to be strong and healthy_. It was a fool's hope, but perhaps that name would grant their child the strength to be born.

After talking to many other ghouls, Rize had learnt that the offspring of a female ghoul and male human would almost always be identified as a food source and absorbed in the womb.

But perhaps, just maybe her child could survive.

**-Timeskip-**

Their little Ken-kun entered the world on December 20th, one eye human and one eye with the kakugan.

**-Timeskip-**

It was four years after the arrival of Ken-kun that the tragedy struck the young family. Hikori had been suffering from a bad cough for weeks. The couple hadn't thought much about it until he collapsed on the floor.

Since then the writer had been bedridden, coming in and out of fevers.

The doctors' reports were grim. Saying that her husband only had weeks to live and asked if he was interested in donating his organs. Rize had to restrain herself from ripping them to shreds and stuffing them in her mouth only because of her beloved's weak protests.

Three weeks later Hikori was dispatched to the hospital after blood was found after a painful bout of coughs. Since then she and her little Ken-kun practically lived in the hospital with him.

This time even her ghoulish senses could smell that the end was near for her husband.

Rize walked into Hiroki's hospital room and examined her husband.

His cheeks were sunken with beads of sweat speckling his forehead. His mouth was clenched as if he had just sucked a sour lemon. She sat on a seat next to his bed, careful not to wake him from his slumber, and stared at the bland wall in front of her. Her mind was totally blank.

It was after 10 minutes that Hiroki opened his eyes. "Rize-chan? You're here…"

She affectionately looked down at her husband "Of course dumbass, where else would I be?"

"Where's Ken-kun?"

"He's playing with some of the other hospital kids downstairs." His hands slowly reached out from the confines of his blanket to entwine with hers.

"Good, I don't want him to see me like this."

"Che, stubborn old coot."

"Rize-chan can't you at least try to be nice until the end."

"Ha, who says it's gonna be the end?" She said snidely, hoping to bring some life back into her lover.

The ends of his mouth curved slightly to form a semblance of a smile. "I'm glad you're by my side Rize-chan." His hand strayed from their place in between hers and lightly caressed her cheek.

"You…gave…me…faith…in…this...dark…world." His eyes unfocused as his hand dropped from her face to limply hang from his bed.

She stayed by his bedside, her eyes bleak and downcast, never looking anywhere but her lap.

Faith? What was he talking about? She was Binge Eater, an S class ghoul who killed purely for sport. How could she ever make anyone happy? Hardened doves quaked at the mere mention of her name. Did she actually mean something to someone?

These thoughts plagued her mind as the hospital staff took her husband's body away.

She was unmoving, even with the nurses' pleas to get outside for air, the newly widowed ghoul continued to sit in the same position.

Rize rose from her vigil when the sun rose. Her eyes were dull.

It was stupid.

Totally and utterly stupid.

How had she ever been naïve enough to love something as fragile as a human?

**-End flashback-**

The ghoul was jolted out of her memories by a small shriek. Blinking her eyes out of their haze she focused on the source of the noise.

Even in drenched clothes in shallow waters of the pond and with a frown on his face, her little Ken-kun never failed to look so cute.

"Ken-kun what are you doing in there?" She lightly scolded with a small smile on her face.

"I was trying to catch the duckies." He pouted cutely, crossing his arms across his chest.

"Come on, silly, you're gonna catch a cold." Rize squatted down towards her son and lightly pulled him out of the pool. "Time to go home."

"But what about the duckies?"

"Maybe tomorrow, we can even go buy some bread to feed them. How does that sound?"

"Good!" As if forgetting his accidental fall in the pond, with renewed vigour the small boy leapt off the ground and ran ahead with his arms out like a plane, making engine sounds with his mouth. Laughing as he stumbled upon a small rock, "You comin' Mama?"

"Yes Ken-kun," She slowly rose from the ground, watching her little bundle run across the park.

_Oh Hiroki, if only you could see him now._

**AN**

AH YES MY READERS I HAVE RETURNED FROM THE FIERY DEPHS OF HELL. It's been almost a year since I have written anything. I know I know, my absence from writing is inexcusable, especially now that I am starting a new fic instead of finishing off my other ones. But oh well, as the French say, c'est la vie. Maybe starting this new story will inspire me to actually finish off my other stories…who knows?

Don't let this first chapter deceive you, it's not going to be a childhood fic, I'm just putting in a few childhood chapters to set everything up for the main storyline. I hope everyone enjoyed this first chapter, not a lot of Kaneki but next one's gonna be jam packed with him as well as our good old friend Hide. Also, I don't have a set direction that this fic is gonna turn, so if anyone has any ideas, don't be afraid to shout them at me. I'll at least consider them.

Oh yes and please remember to review ^_^

-Cifer66


	2. Friend

Disclaimer: Dun own nothing.

Chapter 2 – Friend

"Mum! I'm back from school." An eight year old Kaneki yelled as he slid off his shoes and placed them on a shoe rack near the door.

"Welcome home Ken-kun. Did you learn anything new?" Rize turned from her place next to the kitchen bench and strode over to the doorway to greet her son.

Kaneki was currently wrapped in a large, green puffy jacket, a blue scarf was wrapped around his neck, covering his mouth and nose and his black locks peaked out from under his blue beanie. In other words, he looked like a small ball of material.

Rize felt a small twinge of guilt nudge at the back of her mind. Her little Ken-kun had to walk all the way home in the snow, albeit their tiny apartment was two streets away from the school.

However, her caution was necessary. She was a famous S ranked ghoul, although this was the 20th Ward she just couldn't afford to be recognised and associated with her son. He was still at his most vulnerable age and couldn't fight for himself. This was the safest option she could choose.

The guilt slowly faded away the closer she reached Kaneki.

"Yeah! I learnt how to find the area of a bunch of things!" He held up two fingers, one from each hand and started drawing invisible shapes in the air with them and grinned.

"Ah, you're turning so smart Ken-kun, someday you might even know more things than me." She bent down to pick up the ball of energy and sat him on her hip.

"I also made a snowman with Hide. I didn't want to at first 'cuz it looked cold and I was reading my book, but he convinced me and it was really really fun!" He grasped some of her purple hair.

"Hideyoshi again? Don't you think it's time to stop playing with your food?" she lightly chided. Kaneki had lately been hanging around with a new human, Hideyoshi Naga something rather. If he was marking his food, he had to be careful, especially considering his inexperience. It would just be their luck if a dove put the connections together between a 'missing' human and her Ken-kun.

"He he, don't you remember? Hide isn't food. He's my friend."

"Oh yeah, that's right I guess Mummy was being silly."Rize mentally scolded herself for forgetting.

She never understood her son's connection to humans, nor did she ever understand why he didn't seem to like to indulge in food like she did. Perhaps it was his human half? She didn't know.

Although she had to admit it was strange how her son could stomach food better than she did. It wasn't as if he loved it, but it wasn't as inedible as many other ghouls found, he was just able to tolerate it.

It was a very useful skill for a young ghoul to have, especially when they attended school. Yes, that's right. Her poor little Ken-kun was going to school. Eight hours a day, five days a week. He had only started his first year 3 months ago.

Naturally ghouls would home school their children as mingling young ghouls with humans was always dangerous. The combination of school and ghouls screamed 'exposure'. Especially young eight year old ghouls like Ken-kun who has a much weaker restraint on his kakugan than normal.

Rize sighed, if it weren't for her Hiroki objecting to the idea of home schooling, little Ken-kun would be with her. Safe and sound.

Well perhaps she's just being too paranoid. It wasn't common for ghouls to attend school but it had heard of. Her Ken-kun above all had an advantage that helped him blend in as a human better than any other.

He was half-ghoul of course. Or rather half-human.

Rize looked at the little enigma sitting in her arms. Hybrid ghouls were unheard of. Yet here was one right in her arms. If people were to learn of his one eyed kakugan, he would be the target of many doves and ghouls alike for his rarity.

She would protect him. No matter what.

Seeing her son start to squirm in her arms she gently set him down on the ground. "Alright my little human lover, why don't you go have a shower. We can go hunt for some dinner."

"Okay." Kaneki yelled as he dashed away from Rize's sight, excited to finally hunt in what seemed like forever.

Rize merely sighed at her son's excitement. She rarely let him go hunting for food. Normally it was her that would do the hunting and then bring back little pieces for her Ken-kun to snack on.

Kaneki had already voiced his dislike for eating her 'scraps' but she only responded that he was still too young to do it.

If a ghoul was to hunt, especially in areas like the 20th Ward where one could get killed by the other ghouls for attracting doves, then they had to be careful.

Picking off the humans that no one cared for nor would miss, choosing areas where no one would take a second glance and disposing the remaining body parts discreetly were all necessary factors to take into consideration.

To be honest it went against Rize's policies to regulate the meals she took with the movements of the CCG. She should just eat whoever she wanted to, she was the feared 'Binge Eater' after all. But if it was for Ken-kun's safety then she would abide by the rules.

It was soon, she could feel it but she could feel herself getting restless. She wasn't a wanderer because of boredom, but rather because it felt safer to be constantly on the move rather than stay in one spot. There had been talk about something bad stirring up in the 24th Ward and she wanted no part in it.

As soon as her Ken-kun was old enough to protect himself and hunt they were going to move.

**-Timeskip- (3 years later)**

Kaneki looked up from his book to spy on his energetic friend throwing some rocks at a wall.

That's right. His friend. The human boy. Hide.

He wasn't stupid. He knew behind his mother's cheery façade she didn't like him hanging around a human. She probably thought that he might accidentally reveal their little secret. He would have liked to have told her that he had more sense than that but since knowing Hide for only a week he already knew that he had to be very careful when around his friend.

Tired after thoroughly pelting the wall with pebbles, Hide bounded towards his friend who was seated on a swing.

"Hey Kaneki, you want this juice box? It's good, a new flavour too!" Hide offered the beverage with a large smile.

"No thanks, my mum says they're bad for you" If Kaneki really wanted he could have taken a little sip of the juice. Human food to him, as he understood it, was not as bad as it was for other ghouls. It still tasted like something had died in his mouth, but in small portions, it was edible without vomiting.

Unfazed by the rejection, Hide loudly announced "Okay, suit yourself. But man you're missing out!"

As he took a big loud slurp from his drink, Kaneki's nose slightly scrunched up. How could humans like these things? They smelt like rotting garbage!

"Oi, something wrong Kaneki?"

"No…it's nothing, I was just thinking." Kaneki mentally sweat dropped. He had to be careful around Hide, even being as young as he was, he was probably more perceptive than some rookie CCG officers.

"So anyways you're just eating bread for lunch again?"

"Yeah, I like bread, it's my favourite food." Kaneki mentally cheered, for once he had told his friend the truth.

Bread was his favourite _human _food. Even though it had the texture of a sponge and tasted like cardboard. It was the softness of the bread that made it easy to swallow a whole bite whole, therefore making bread the easiest food he could fake-eat.

Kaneki watched as Hide enthusiastically dug into his bento next to him. He tried not to think of Hide as the meal he ate the week before. Perhaps in another world he would have been disgusted at eating humans due to the fact that he was half. But his mother was 'Binge Eater' and so some of her genes must have passed on to him. Although he could physically restrain himself to just one body a month unlike his mother who wasn't satisfied until she had gorged herself on numerous humans each night.

"So, what are you doing after school today?" Hide finally managed to say after swallowing the last of his bento.

"Nothing much, I'm just gonna go home." Kaneki mentally sighed, his mother had gotten very jumpy lately and was adamant he always returned straight home after school.

"Huh, again?"

"Yeah, my mum's been getting scared of the new ghoul sightings." He grimaced internally. He didn't like lying to his best friend but it was the only reasonable explanation, besides, he couldn't have told Hide that it was actually the doves that were giving his mum the jitters.

"Aww, life must be so hard for our darling, cute as a button Kaneki-kun. How will he ever get a girl with such an overbearing mother?" Hide waved his arms above his head melodramatically, spinning slowly in circles.

"Shush you, she's just concerned." Kaneki lightly reprimanded in response to his friend's antics. Tucking his book under one arm, he slowly stood up from his spot on the swing and shallowly dipped his head to his friend to acknowledge his departure.

"Huh, leaving already?"

"It is currently 1:52pm, the bell will ring at precisely 2:00pm. Our classroom is located on the South-West Wing of the school. We are sitting outside in the northernmost area of the school. Given the dimension of the school plus the span of our legs, it will take approximately seven minutes to return to our class at a leisurely stroll." Kaneki responded in monotone, staring at his friend's awestruck expression for a moment before starting to walk towards the direction of their classroom.

"Cripes! How could ever be friends which such a sticker to the rules!?" Hide yelled once he snapped out of his daze.

**-linebreak-**

In an office somewhere in the 1st Ward sat an old man at a large mahogany desk cluttered with papers and files. His face was pale with wrinkles that could have only be caused by an overabundance of frowning.

A knock resounded on the door which made the man look up from his desk towards the door in front of him.

"You may enter" he called out calmly.

The door opened with a squeak to reveal a young fair skinned, black haired man with dull black eyes.

"What is the matter that you would like to discuss, Director?"

"There has been reports of dead bodies. They appear to fit the modus operandi of one particular ghoul" The older of the men opened the yellow folder on his desk, revealing an array of mutilated bodies. He started to read aloud what was written, "Severed limbs, mostly uneaten yet shredded. Numerous mauled bodies…"

"But it can't be…there's only one ghoul who can do that." His forehead starting to sweat as his thought process reached the only logical conclusion.

"Yeah, I know what you're thinking."

.

.

.

"Binge Eater is in the 20th Ward."

.

.

.

**AN**

Dun dun duuuuuun. So doves will soon be appearing. How do you guys feel about that? I don't have much of a direction going with this fic so if anyone has any possible ideas or things they want to see just PM me or chuck the ideas in a review, I'll be sure to consider them. Anyways thanks so much to anyone who reviewed, read or did anything in between! I really appreciate all the feedback. So stay tuned for next chapter and please review!

-Cifer66


	3. Bloody Mistakes

Disclaimer: Dun own nothing

Chapter 3 – Bloody Mistakes

Blood.

Some call it the elixir of life. Others call it a person's life force.

Rize liked to think of it as the extra kick that really spices up her meals.

_ 'Hmm, this one didn't really put up a fight, but his blood just smells so delicious' _she thought as she looked down at the fresh corpse splayed at her feet.

The man was young, possibly in is late 20s or early 30s. He had been wandering around the streets for the past few weeks, taking shelter within the subways. That's where Rize first saw him. After establishing that he had no family or friends that would miss him she made her move.

Quietly humming to herself as she dug in to the corpse, making sure to save the softest limbs and 2

"HAH, so a ghoul's come out to play have they?" A booming voice interrupted Rize's meal.

Blocking the only exit to the alley was a large man in a black suit. His stance screamed 'over confidence' and immediately Rize felt a sickening repulsion to him. Within his meaty hands was a suitcase.

_'A dove huh?'_ Rize twitched one of her eyes, mentally cursing herself for her bad luck. Killing this dove would be as easy as squishing an ant under her foot. However, like ants, killing one would only cause more to come.

"Say, you're quite a looker aren't you? How about we make a deal, I'm looking for a ghoul under the codename Binge Eater, if you tell me everything you know I'll be sure to make your death as painless as possible." A repulsive smirk was painted on his face.

Rize's heart immediately quickened, some doves were looking for her? That must only mean they knew she was somewhere in the 20th Ward. _'Damn, I was so careful'._

With a small hiss, Rize let her kagune out. There was only one way to get out of this alive that was by killing the dove in front of her.

"Hah, so you've got a little fight in you I see." The dove in twisted his wrist holding the briefcase and smoothly took out a large quinque that resembled a sledge hammer.

"WELL COME AT ME" he yelled with glee and began to run forward.

"Hold it Kurosawa" A hand slammed across the charging man's chest.

A smaller figure dressed identically as the dove holding a briefcase stood next to joined the dove.

Rize analysed the newcomer with caution.

He was lean but she could tell that underneath his suit lay some muscle. His black hair and eyes accentuated his pale skin and a permanent scowl rested upon his face.

"Were you not listening during the debriefing?" The newcomer asked in which the bigger man only shrugged.

Sighing as if he had expected that answer he continued, "Well if you had you would have known that Binge Eater has an unusual six tentacle kagune. Exactly what this here ghoul has."

"Huh?" The man now known as Kurosawa looked up at the ghoul and pointed at each individual tentacles mouthing numbers to himself.

_'Four, five, six…hmm…WELL SHIT'_, Kurosawa looked up from his fingers to the ghoul in front of him. Despite being caught eating and dismembering a person, she looked delicate and gentle as if she couldn't hurt a fly. He readied his quinque and prepared to charge.

"Please just stay out of this Kurosawa, I don't know why the Director assigned you as my partner but this is an S-class ghoul. Way out of your league" The dove then activated his own quinque. A large spear appeared in his hands.

_'Akiba you cocky bastard…'_ The larger dove gritted his teeth in annoyance.

His thought, however, was halted by the sudden splurt of blood that splashed into his face.

Gagging, the man wiped his eyes to the best of his ability. What he saw in front of him made his blood turn cold.

Unfocused lifeless black eyes stared back at him. Impaled through his stomach upon a large red tentacle was the man that had constantly irritated him since they met at the CCG academy. Blood trickled out of the corner of the smaller man's mouth. His lips moved rapidly, as if trying to mouth something. However, before Kurosawa could work out the message, the speared dove was suddenly hoisted off the ground.

Rize chortled "Haha! Looks like the overconfident one was just trash after all!" she twirled with glee, taking the dove impaled on her kagune with her and splattering his blood everywhere.

"YOU BITCH" Kurosawa screamed and with all of his strength swung his quinque at the ghoul before him.

Rize only grinned as she unleashed directed one of her red tentacles towards the man and effortlessly crushed his weapon.

"My, my, for all your talk you are just trash" Rize smirked and raised her kakugan, bringing the one tendril with the body towards her face. "No, this meal I have right here is trash. You're lower than that, you're a worm".

She flicked the freshly killed dove off her tentacle onto the remains of her original victim.

"Now, let's see here, looks like I'm eating well tonight. Three blood bags. How fun~" Rize released a small chuckle.

_'Wait…there's two bodies over there…that must mean…the third…IS ME'_, stunned at this sudden realisation, the now weapon less dove frantically backed away.

However, with inhuman speed Rize wrapped her kakugan around the struggling man.

"Uh uh uh uh, now no running away and take your fate like a man" the ghoul chided in a tone not different to the one she used to get her son to brush his teeth.

"No, wait stop, please, I'll do whatever you want just let me go." The dove cried in a strangled voice.

Rize's playful smile suddenly washed off only to be replaced with a scowl. "You really are a disgusting worm. I'll be sure to savour the moment of ripping your body limb from limb"

She then bit down into his shoulder and jerked her head, twisting his flesh off the bone. The man bellowed out a loud scream of agony.

_'Wow, I've missed this, it's so much fun.' _Rize thought as she took more bites out of the larger man laying underneath her, his screams hypnotically pulling her into further bloodlust.

_'I'm sure one little binge won't hurt'_ she thought as she let out a little giggle.

**-linebreak-**

Kaneki arrived home to the smell of blood. Human blood.

Shocked, he hastily slid inside without bothering to take off his shoes and ran towards the source of the smell. Could it be? Had the doves already discovered them? But how? They were so careful not to leave any evidence of them behind whilst feeding.

He stopped as he reached his mother's bedroom. The door was closed but the brunt of the scent was located behind it. He could almost see the tendrils of the blood scent leaking out from the door.

He grasped the metal door handle and slowly turned it, hesitantly pulling the door open.

Inside he saw his mother, her usually pristine floral dress was in tatters and soaked in a red substance he immediately recognised as blood. She was sitting on the floor with her legs folded outwards to her body, her hands holding her body out in front of her. Kaneki couldn't see his mother's face as her head was face down, concealed by a mass of mattered purple hair.

Looking around Kaneki sighed in relief when it seemed that there were no dove corpses.

Turning back to his mother he questioned,

"Mum…?"

After gaining no response Kaneki took a hesitant step towards his mother

"Mum…?"

Again the boy was met with no response. This prompted Kaneki to close the gap between the half ghoul and ghoul.

However, just as Kaneki reached out to touch his mother's back, his senses spiked as his arm was placed steel grip.

Rize's head suddenly jerked towards him and Kaneki's ghoul instincts suddenly screamed at him to flee. He felt his right eye strain against his eye patch as his kakugan activated from the danger and bloodlust emanating from his mother.

Kaneki couldn't hold back his gasp as his mother's hair parted to reveal her face.

Rize's eyes were widened with bloodlust and contained no recognition for her own son. A rabid grin was painted on her face, showing off her jagged teeth and even some of her gums.

"A human? No, not quite" his mother crooned, "Well either way you smell absolutely divine, I'm gonna enjoy eating you."

Kaneki tried to back away, his instincts going haywire ordering him to flee from the danger. However, he was no match for his mother's iron grip on him that only tightened when feeling his resistance.

"Mum, it's me Ken-kun, your son. Please stop you're hurting me."

"Huh?" She responded in a shrill voice, her head tilting to the side. Kaneki's heart soared when a flash of confusion but then lurched when her it morphed into one of morbid understanding.

"This prey's trying to trick me eh?" Her grip on his arm tightened with her claw-like nails puncturing his skin.

Kaneki let out a small cry as streams of blood started to trickle down his arm. Rize's head lowered, eyes gleaming at the prospect of another meal. Bringing his arm up to her nose, Rize took a long inhale.

"Mmmm you're scent is just so delicious you might even be the best meal I've found yet."

An inhumanly pointed tongue slicked in saliva protruded from her mouth and lapped at the blood pouring down .

_'This can't be happening. Mother would never do something like this'_, Kaneki thought to himself. His mother had always been the picture of calm since he could remember. Even during the rare times she allowed him to hunt with her Kaneki never saw her bloodthirsty side.

However, just as the first droplet of his blood touched her tongue, she stiffened. Looking back up to Kaneki's face with horrified eyes, Rize immediately dropped her grip on his arm and hurriedly backed away to the wall of the room.

Relieved Kaneki cautiously approached his mother.

"No stop Ken-kun." Rize called out. Kaneki halted his movements, still apprehensive of his mother's sanity.

"Don't come closer, I might hurt you" Rize intoned.

"Mum…what happened?" He crept forward against his mother's wish.

"I let loose. I tried so hard to suppress it, for our safety, for you…but in the end I was too weak." After seeing her son's confused face she continued, "I ran into some doves today,"

Kaneki's heart lurched, _'Doves? In the 20__th__ Ward? It can't be',_ he looked over his mother, despite her disheveled state she appeared to be unharmed.

"Don't worry Ken-kun, they were quite weak. But their blood…it just brought back so many memories I couldn't hide it anymore… my inner ghoul came out. The one that loves to dine and eat until well over it's full." Seeing her son's horrified face made her heart clench.

"I didn't just kill the two doves, I massacred the entire suburb. I'm sorry dear, but it seems I've messed everything up. We'll have to move to another ward and I'll make sure never to taste dove blood ever again." Rize looked down at her bloodied hand, mentally chastising herself for ruining everything.

Rize looked up when she felt a small hand rest on her shoulder and could only see a blinding smile from her son.

"Don't worry about me mother, just train me. If I learn how to fight and protect myself you won't have to ever hold back anymore. We can take whatever we want, eat whoever we want."

Rize's gaze softened and suddenly all Kaneki could see was purple as he was engulfed in a hug.

"What did I ever do in my wretched life to deserve you? You're the best little boy a mother could ever have."

**AN**

So how about that folks? Anything you liked or hated? Just tell me! I'm open to suggestions/improvements. Anyways, SO SORRY FOR THE 3 MONTH BREAK but I have been up to my eyeballs in work. I know I don't deserve all the follows, favs and reviews I have but I swear I'll make sure that the next update is much faster! Anyways thanks to all you guys who have reviewed it's such a motivator to get me writing. Also kudos to bomberman4242 for pointing out some typos. Anyways that's all folks! See you next chappy!

-Cifer66


	4. Goodbye

Disclaimer: Nope don't own a thing

Chapter 4 – Goodbye

"Again." Rize ordered with an emotionless voice at the kneeling boy before her.

Mustering up all of his energy, Kaneki let out a battle cry and leapt back whilst simultaneously slamming his rinkaku kagune into his mother's, pushing her back slightly with the brute power and force he had packed into the blow. Smirking, his mother nimbly manipulated her six tentacle kagune into a crisscross snowflake-like formation with the claws facing outward for both offence and defence.

Without hesitating Kaneki folded and then hardened his four tentacles into a ball and smashed into the centre of his mother's defence. This packed enough force to even disassemble her defence.

Impressed Rize stopped and motioned with her hand for a break. Her son instantly fell to the floor panting.

It had been six weeks since the eleven year old half-ghoul had started his training and he had made staggering process. Unlike his pacifist father, it seemed that Kaneki had an innate talent for combat. His quick thinking and reflexes make for a devastating combo for his opponents.

Like his mother, Kaneki did not possess a great amount of strength, however in time his meagre amount of power would be able to improve. However with his lack of strength, he was able to regain with his agility and underhanded tactics. He was already able evade an incoming attack and use the momentum and power within it to easily use against the attacker.

Ever since Rize's impromptu feast doves had all but flocked to the 20th Ward.

News spread like wildfire of the S-ranked ghoul Binge Eater's massacre of two experienced CCG operatives and 36 civilians in one of Japan's more peaceful wards. Not only was it doves, but bounty hunters from all over the country took to the streets of the 20th Ward, all wanting to try their luck at getting Binge Eater's head.

Exhausted with his training, Kaneki didn't even notice his mother standing in front of his stationary form until all he could see was a light orange medical mask in his eyesight.

Instinctively grabbing the item in front of him, he looked up to his mother questioningly.

"You're ready Kaneki. Come on, let's go pack. Tonight we're gonna catch a train to Ward 11." Rize outstretched her hand to him.

Grasping his mother's hand, Kaneki slowly stood up. _'Leaving tonight? Why?'_

"But mum, why are we leaving? I thought we wouldn't have to hide if I learnt how to protect us." He allowed his mum to turn him around so his back towards her. She motioned for the face mask within his hand and he gave it to her, entirely baffled.

Placing the mask over his mouth and nose she started to tie the mask in place. Detecting her son's apprehension, Rize continued in a chiding voice "Silly boy, of course we won't have to hide. But it will be back in the 11th Ward. We've already attracted too much attention here."

Finishing off her knot, she turned her son around and knelt so she was his height level. Looking into only an eye she ran her hands through his inky black hair, "You do want to protect your friend don't you?"

_'Hide? What does he have to do with this?' _Kaneki looked questioningly into his mother's eyes.

Seeing her son's blank face Rize emitted a small chuckle, "The 20th Ward is becoming very active thanks to me. Not only doves are here but bounty hunters as well."

Kaneki tugged down the mask to his chin, "But why would they hurt Hide?"

Rize's eyes softened at her son's naivety, it was all too easy to read what was on his mind "Sure, the doves are obligated to terminate only ghouls, but ghoul sympathisers rare as they are won't just get off the hook freely."

"But Hide doesn't know I'm a ghoul," Kaneki responded adamant that his friend was no way in danger due to him.

"Oh Ken-kun~" Rize crooned, caressing the side of his face, "if they find out you're a ghoul they won't care whether or not he knew."

Kaneki froze, _'Hide's been in this much danger because of me? It can't be,' _He pleadingly looked into his mother's eyes, searching for any sort of deception. Resolutely finding none he hung his head. _'I guess there's only one thing to do…'_

Seeing her son's acceptance, Rize stood up, "Let's go home and pack up all our stuff. We've got a late train to catch."

"Alright." Kaneki started walking towards the exit of the sewer that they had been training in.

Rize sighed in relief, it was so easy to convince her little Ken-kun to do anything. Despite his diet of human and advanced abilities with his kagune, he was still much like his father.

So gullible and naïve, her son's human side was so easy to influence.

_'Ah well, I guess I'll train it out of him when we've settled down.' _

**-linebreak-**

Nagachika Hideyoshi.

Lovable. Funny. Goofball.

That's the impression most get after spending five minutes with the boy.

In all aspects this impression is entirely accurate, however, what many don't know about him is the fact that he is best friends with a ghoul.

Yes, that's right.

Nagachika Hideyoshi is best friends with a ghoul.

At first he only befriended the quiet boy at the back of the class because he was interested in his eye-patch. After all, it's not every day that you are treated to the sight of a real life pirate.

Of course after meeting said boy, Hide quickly realised that Kaneki Ken was nothing like a pirate or anything remotely interesting at all.

In fact, the boy hardly spoke anything and kept to his books at all time.

One would think that Hide would quickly lose interest and search for something else to satisfy his curiosity. However, there was just one thing that kept Hide attracted to the otherwise dull boy. It wasn't something so cliché as an instinct, but there just was something not right about Kaneki.

Unlike most other children Hide always noticed things. Whether it be when his mother lied to when his older sister was clearly out partying rather than studying with friends.

Hide always knew the truth.

Sometimes other kids would ask him how he always seemed to know everything.

Hide would always answer the same way: "I just watch".

That's why after spending several weeks with the one eyed boy that Hide came to the conclusion he was most definitely a ghoul. After all, despite Kaneki's attempts to eat naturally Hide was never fooled by the astoundingly small amount of chews per bite.

One would think that Hide would have immediately contacted the local police of this ghoul. However, Hide never accounted to actually be friends with the shy boy.

What once was a childish curiosity turned into a lifelong friendship. Or at least what would be a lifelong friendship.

Absently humming to himself, Hide swung his legs at his desk as he finished the last equations of his maths homework.

Hide could think of a ton of better ways to spend his Sunday evening but unfortunately his mother had forced him indoors to finish all his work. Perhaps he should've listened to Kaneki when his friend warned that the school calls home if homework isn't handed in a week past its due date.

Sighing as he leaned back in his chair Hide wondered what his ghoul friend was doing. _'Perhaps he's eating someone…nah…that goody two shoes probably eats the bare minimum.'_

Hide was jolted out of reverie by his mother's shrill cry, "Hide! There's a man here want to talk to you."

_'A man? It better not be a teacher from school checking up on me. I've nearly finished my homework! Although if he did give me a suspension I guess it wouldn't be that bad. Though mum will yell at me for sure.' _Shaking himself out of his thoughts, the boy got out of his chair and casually walked outside his room to the kitchen where he heard his mum's voice.

However, as he walked down the stairs, Hide's senses were immediately put on alert when he saw a bulky man situated at the family's wooden dining table. By his mother's flustering and ministrations it was obvious that the man was an important person. _'Perhaps a government worker? No but what would they want with me?'_

Seeing the orange and black haired kid's decent down the stairs, the man immediately stood up and gave a warm smile. This movement rustled the tablecloth just enough to reveal a hint of silver underneath the table.

Hide's heart lurched, _'Shit a CCG officer. Please don't tell me they discovered Kaneki.'_ Hide immediately wore an impish grin to mask his thoughts.

The man outstretched his hand, "Shinohara Yukinori, Special Class ghoul investigator".

Hide met his hand, "Nagachika Hideyoshi, but you can just call me Hide".

"Please take a seat Hide." The man in front of Hide pulled out a chair and gestured to the boy.

After the two sat down Shinohara clasped his hands together and began his questioning, "Now, tell me, I've heard from your teacher's that you hang around a boy called Kaneki Ken. Is that correct?"

Hide scratched the back of his head, _'Crap crap crap crap crap, he is here about Kaneki. What do I do?'_

"Well yeah, we've been best friends ever since I moved schools. He's a quiet one for sure, I can't believe he's ever gotten into much trouble."

The man in front of him 'hmmed' and wrote down something on his notepad. "Well, Hide this will come as a bit of a shock to you, but I've had concerns from some of your teachers that your friend might actually be a ghoul".

Faking a startled gasp, Hide widened his eyes in shock, "A g-ghoul you say? No, that's impossible, I've known him for three years. He could never be a ghoul."

"Yes, well, have you ever noticed anything strange about what he eats? From what I've gathered it seems that all he's ever eaten is bread." Shinohara tapped his pen on the table, coaxing the boy to respond.

"Well, I do admit I have noticed that but that's because his mother's a health nut. Also he has a weak digestive system so I guess he can't handle eat too much rich foods." The only response Hide received was the scratching of the CCG officer's pen on paper.

"Alright, that will be all for today. Thank you for your cooperation."

"Wait", Hide grabbed the man's sleeve, do you really think Kaneki's a ghoul?"

Shinohara mentally sighed as if knowing the boy's thoughts, "You're young Hide, so you don't understand that ghouls are brilliant actors. Ghouls love to play with their meals and 'friend' them, it's just their nature. From what you've told me today I am certain that Kaneki Ken is in fact a ghoul."

He paused to look at the boy, "Don't look so sad, we got this ghoul before he could get you. How many people can say that they've even seen a ghoul and lived? I bet all the kids at school will be jealous of you." Shinohara gave a cheesy grin, attempting to cheer the boy up.

Hide looked down, continuing his downtrodden façade, "Alright."

Shinohara gave a weary smile, it was always hard to tell people that the 'people' they had been interacting with were actually heartless murdering beasts. "You'll get over it. You're a strong kid," and with a heartfelt pat on the boy's back the ghoul investigator left, already organising plans to eradicate the ghoul.

Hide watched the man leave from the front window. As he finally lost sight of the officer, Hide raced up to his room.

Grabbing his mobile phone Hide quickly dialled a familiar phone number.

_._

_*Beep*_

_._

_*Beep* _

_._

_*Beep*_

_._

_*Beep*_

.

_*Click*_

_._

Hide almost jumped for joy when a weary voice sounded on the end, _"Hello?"_

_"Kaneki! You have to come here now." _The boy raced to the point choosing to ignore pleasantries and get to the point.

_"Hide? What?"_ Kaneki's obviously confused voice sounded.

_"No time, just come here RIGHT NOW!"_

_"I can't just go, I'm really busy right now." _Hide almost ripped off his hair in agitation. _'We're running out of time!'_

_"Alright fine, then I'll meet you at the park near your house."_

_"What? But why?"_

_"I can't say but please promise me you're gonna leave right now. It's really important"_

Sensing his friend's desperation Kaneki agreed, _"A-Alright, I'll head there right now."_

_._

_*Click*_

.

Hide sighed in relief at Kaneki's compliance and hastily put on his old runners. He raced down the stairs in a flurry, calling out to his mother on reflex that he was leaving. Without waiting for a response the boy sprinted out of house and towards the park.

_'Just please let it not be too late Kaneki.'_

-**linebreak**-

Kaneki sat on a wooden park bench absently wondering what on Earth his friend wanted. _'What am I doing here? I should be at home with mother, the train leaves in two hours.'_

Nervously tapping his foot, the half-ghoul checked his watch, _'6:17, mother told me to be back in half an hour.'_

Sighing, Kaneki leaned back into the bench reflecting on all that had happened that day. _'I can't believe I'm leaving already. Mum can't just tell me to just pack up and leave everything behind.'_

Kaneki's thoughts were halted by the sounds of panting. Looking towards the source of the noise, the young half-ghoul saw the exhausted figure of his friend.

"Hide? Did you run all the way from your house to here? That's crazy!" He steadied his friend by looping Hide's arm around his neck and helped him to the bench. However, his efforts failed when Hide grabbed his shoulders with surprising force.

"Kaneki…" Hide panted trying to catch his breath, "There's not enough time, you have to leave now…they're coming…"

Confused Kaneki looked at his friend, "What do mean? Who's coming?" He gently sat his friend on the park bench.

After calming his breathing down, Hide looked up at him with wide eyes, "The CCG…they found out."

Kaneki suddenly froze, "What? Hide, you aren't making any sense at all. What would some doves want with me?" He closed his eye and smiled, his hand unconsciously reaching up to touch his chin.

Hide looked up at his friend and grinned, "You don't need to pretend anymore Kaneki, I already know what you are, I've known for a while now."

Upon hearing those words Kaneki's world suddenly crumbled. _'He knew? So he reported me? But why would he warn me then? I didn't even know the CCG were on my tail.'_

As if reading his friend's thoughts Hide reassured him, "I didn't tell them. An investigator showed up at my house saying that some teachers were suspicious of you."

"But if you knew, why didn't you tell anyone? Didn't you think I'd eat you?" Kaneki glanced down at his hands, visualising the blood that had already stained them over the years. However, a hand on his shoulder got him looking up to his friend.

"You're my best friend Kaneki. There's absolutely no way you'd eat me." Hide smiled showing off his teeth.

"So you're okay about it? About me being a ghoul?" Kaneki's voice shook, revealing only a tiny shred of his hope.

"Of course, I've known for years," suddenly Kaneki felt a hand ruffle through his hair, "but seriously you've gotta go. They're probably tracking your address right now."

Kaneki released a light hearted laugh and looked back at his friend, "actually it's funny because I was actually packing all my things before you called. Turns out I'm leaving for the 11th Ward tonight."

"Huh?!" Hide gasped, "I knew you probably would have listened to me but I never thought you'd be this fast!"

"Nah, it's actually my mum's idea. She's a bit paranoid by all the doves frolicking about this ward lately. So she just booked a train for tonight."

"Wow, that's some timing huh?" Hide's cheery smile suddenly faded into an expression almost foreign on his face: sadness, "So I guess I really am losing my best friend".

Mentally sighing at his friend's mood swings, Kaneki stood up from his seat on the park bench and placed his hands on Hide's shoulders, forcing himself to plaster an uncharacteristically cheerful smile on his face, Kaneki reassured his friend, "Don't worry, I'll definitely be back before you know it! It's just until all the hype about the massacre dies down."

Kaneki winked his eye, although it could also be interpreted as a blink, "Just you wait Hide, before you know it we'll be back together."

Turning away from his first friend, Kaneki wasn't expecting a large weight to ram into his back.

Sniffling Hide yelled "I'll never forget you Kaneki Ken."

Stifling his own tears, Kaneki turned to face the brown haired boy, "We'll definitely meet again, I know it."

With that parting statement Kaneki ran, ignoring his friend's shouts of desperation.

Memories surfaced of the years the two had spent together. The good. The bad. The _memorable_.

Shaking his head Kaneki cursed himself for letting his human side get the better of him. _'Why did I ever befriend a human? All of them are just meat bags waiting to be eaten. Mother was right in warning me about my relationships with humans. I should have listened to her.'_

For how could a friendship between a ghoul and a human ever end in happiness?

So caught up in his thoughts Kaneki rushed into a not so solid wall and then unceremoniously fell on the muddy ground. _'Eugh, what did I run into?' _he thought as he grabbed his head.

Looking up into a kind wrinkled face, Kaneki suddenly got a whiff of coffee and the bitter but not unpleasant scent of a ghoul. Kaneki immediately recognised the elderly man in front of him as a ghoul.

"Why, what's a young man like you running around this late at night?"

"It's nothing Mister, I was just thinking." Kaneki scratched the back of his head giving the ghoul standing before him a sheepish smile. He slowly clambered to his feet and forced himself to walk away at a sedate pace.

He could feel the elderly man's gaze burn into the back of his form. _'Just walk away, don't bring the old man into this'._

After turning a corner and finally out of sight of the elderly ghoul, Kaneki broke into another run, eager to finally get home to his mother and leave the only town where his humanity ever took hold of him.

**-linebreak-**

Yoshimura started at the retreating form down the dark alleyway. _'What a peculiar scent that boy had...where have I smelt it before.'_

Suddenly the elderly ghoul was bombarded by images of a little girl flashed before his eyes. _Eto? That scent is unmistakeable. A hybrid. To think that there would be more half-ghouls in the world. Things have indeed gotten a lot more interesting.'_

Securing his hat to cover his eyes, Yoshimura began to slowly walk towards the café, lost in his memories of a blonde haired woman working at a café.

**AN**

So how about that? Anything you loved? Hated? Just tell me!

It is the midst of exams and I have come out with a slightly larger than average chapter…it is clear where my priorities lie.

Anyways to those who haven't read the manga yet, Eto is Yoshimura's half-ghoul daughter and the blonde woman working at a café that he was reminiscing about was his former wife. Also I have put up a poll on my profile to determine whether characters from Tokyo Ghoul: re or OCs should make a debut in the next arc. So please visit! (Btw, did anyone read that last chapter with Haise's kagune? Absolutely mind blowing). As always, my eternal gratitude to reviewers, you guys really make my day!

So I guess that's it!

Until next time my faithful readers,

-cifer66


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